Which President Is on the Dime
The dime coin features Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The Roosevelt dime has been in circulation since 1946, replacing the previous design that honored Liberty. The United States Mint produces billions of dimes annually, and the coin remains the smallest in diameter among currently circulating U.S. coins. The obverse displays Roosevelt facing left, with the inscriptions "Liberty," "In God We Trust," and the year of minting. The reverse shows a torch flanked by an oak branch and an olive branch, symbolizing liberty, strength, and peace. For more details on U.S. coin designs, see the United States Mint page.
Roosevelt was chosen for the dime to honor his leadership during the Great Depression and World War II, as well as his connection to the March of Dimes, a charity originally focused on combating polio. The coin was authorized by Congress shortly after Roosevelt's death in 1945. The U.S. Mint's official specifications confirm the diameter of 17.91 millimeters and a weight of 2.268 grams. The current composition is a clad sandwich of copper-nickel, with an outer layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel surrounding a pure copper core. The Roosevelt dime remains one of the most recognized and widely used coins in everyday transactions.
Dime Design and Composition Details
The obverse design by John R. Sinnock has remained largely unchanged since its introduction, with minor adjustments to Roosevelt's portrait over the decades. The reverse, also by Sinnock, features a central torch with the ceremonial olive and oak branches. The inscriptions on the reverse include "United States of America" and "One Dime." In 1965, the Mint transitioned the dime from a 90% silver composition to the current copper-nickel clad composition due to rising silver costs. The edge of the dime is reeded, and the coin is produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. The San Francisco Mint typically strikes proof and silver proof editions for collectors.
The U.S. Mint produces circulating dimes alongside other denominations such as the penny, nickel, quarter, and half dollar. The Denver Mint and Philadelphia Mint produce the majority of circulating dimes for general commerce, while the San Francisco Mint focuses on collector and proof strikes. The Mint's annual production reports show that dimes account for a relatively small share of total coinage by volume compared to quarters and pennies. The Federal Reserve orders coins based on demand from depository institutions, and the current design has no official plans for replacement. The U.S. Treasury Department oversees the Mint and sets the specifications for all circulating coinage.
Historical Context and Circulation
Before the Roosevelt dime, the Mercury dime, designed by Adolph A. Weinman, circulated from 1916 to 1945. The Mercury dime featured a winged Liberty head on the obverse and a fasces and olive branch on the reverse. The transition to the Roosevelt dime in 1946 marked a shift to honoring a specific president rather than an allegorical figure. The dime has survived multiple design eras, including the 50 State Quarters program and the America the Beautiful quarters, which affected other denominations but left the dime's design unchanged. The coin's purchasing power has declined significantly over the decades due to inflation, but it remains a staple of U.S. currency.
In terms of legal tender, the dime is worth one-tenth of a dollar, and the United States Treasury guarantees its value. The Federal Reserve distributes dimes to banks through its cash services operations, and the coins enter general circulation through commercial banks and credit unions. The U.S. Secret Service, part of the Department of the Treasury, works to protect the integrity of U.S. currency, including coins, against counterfeiting. For current